The present invention relates generally to employing a single drive system to cooperatively drive a first and second system who operations are synchronized and, more particularly, an improved drive system having a single prime mover attached to a drive train which synchronously drive the inking system and platen system of a envelope printing apparatus.
A particularly applicable prior art device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,831, commonly assigned and titled, "Ink Tray Drive". The system there discloses a first drive system for moving an ink pad in two directions, for example, horizontally and vertically, utilizing camming means, links and a first motor. The ink pad is moved from a home position to an inking position in which the ink pad is tamped against a printing device, and may also operate a pump for pumping ink to the ink pad, preferably by means of the same motor. It can be observed from an inspection of U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,831 that a separate motor is used to actuate the platen to complete the printing process after the ink pad has been returned to the home position and an envelope is properly positioned.
In the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the embodying system utilizes smart motors. By smart motors, it is meant that each motor carries on-board information processing capability in order to obtain precise motor response characteristic when the respective motors are under the influence of a microprocessor based motor control system. It is apparent that smart motors represent a substantial system cost and adversely effect microprocessor processing overhead for each motor, and, in a suitable system, additional hardware. All of this represents additional system cost. In addition, the addition of each motor places additional burdens on the system power supply.